Mammutbaum Wellingtonia in Bad Gleichenberg

Bad Gleichenberg

The sequoia was planted in 1872 and has reached about 50 meters in height by May 2020 and has been provided with lightning protection.

Redwood tree struck by lightning

On May 26, 2020, the spa town of Bad Gleichenberg lost a historic landmark: the sequoia tree in the town center was struck by lightning. The tree, under whose overhanging branches the giant nativity scene always stands during Advent, was even equipped with lightning protection - unfortunately for nothing. Only a part of the "Wellingtonia" is left.

Giant sequoia from 1872

The most famous giant sequoia in Austria (Latin: Sequoiadendron giganteum) stands in the middle of the 20-hectare spa park in Bad Gleichenberg. The seedling was a gift from Count d'Orsay to the Gleichenberg and Johannisbrunnen Aktienverein in 1872. Already in 1932 it had a height of 29 meters. Since then, cones have also been observed, but the seeds did not germinate.

In the course of the last 150 years or so, the "Wellingtonia", as it is called by the people of Bad Gleichenberg, has had to endure quite a lot. In 1895, the top of the tree was lost in the upper third due to a hurricane, and some branches had to be forfeited due to winds and storms and by fast lashing. During the terrace fire of the Kurhaus in 1945, some branches were affected and in 1946, the branches that had previously rested on the ground - up to a height of five meters - were cut by the British military. More than 70 years later, some branches are again resting on the ground.

But why does the sequoia tree thrive so magnificently in Bad Gleichenberg? It is native to California. For the favorable development might be the free stand and on the other hand the advantageous climate in southeast Styria. The Wellingtonia stands at a sea level of about 300 meters in the upper part of the spa park. The soil consists of sandy loam, which is well watered. In 1940 the sequoia was placed under nature protection.